---
layout: docs
page_title: dispatch_payload block in the job specification
description: |-
  Configure a parameterized job task payload in the `dispatch_payload` block of the Nomad job specification.
---

# `dispatch_payload` block in the job specification

<Placement groups={['job', 'group', 'task', 'dispatch_payload']} />

The `dispatch_payload` block is used in conjunction with a [`parameterized`][parameterized] job
that expects a payload. When the job is dispatched with a payload, the payload
will be made available to any task that has a `dispatch_payload` block. The
payload will be written to the configured file before the task is started. This
allows the task to use the payload as input or configuration.

```hcl
job "docs" {
  group "example" {
    task "server" {
      dispatch_payload {
        file = "config.json"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## Parameters

- `file` `(string: "")` - Specifies the file name to write the content of
  dispatch payload to. The file is written relative to the [task's local
  directory][localdir].

## Example

This example shows a `dispatch_payload` block in a parameterized job that writes
the payload to a `config.json` file.

```hcl
dispatch_payload {
  file = "config.json"
}
```

[localdir]: /nomad/docs/reference/runtime-environment-settings#local
[parameterized]: /nomad/docs/job-specification/parameterized
